Preparing for success…

• Galatians 6:10 (NKJV) Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Max Lucado in his book, Grace for the Moment, records an amazing success story.  He writes:

Nathaniel Hawthorne came home heartbroken.  He’d just been fired from his job in the custom house.  His wife, rather than responding with anxiety, surprised him with joy.  “Now you can write your book!” 

He wasn’t so positive.  “And what shall we live on while I’m writing it?”  

To his amazement she opened a drawer and revealed a wad of money she’d saved out of her housekeeping budget.  “I always knew you were a man of genius,” she told him, “I always knew you’d write a masterpiece.” 

She believed in her husband.  And because she did, he wrote.  And because he wrote, every library in America has a copy of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.” 

Forget Mr. Hawthorne and his classic a minute; the amazing person in this story is Mrs. Hawthorne.  What a teacher she is for us.

• First:  She teaches us that success must be prepared for.  In other words, you will not be accidentally successful.  There is not a “success lottery”.  True success requires intentionally, vision and sacrifice.
• Second: She teaches us that adversities and setbacks are opportunities for success if you’re prepared.  One man saw a sad situation but one woman saw a joyful opportunity.  Vision + preparation transforms an adversity into an advantage.
• Third: She teaches that what is even better than preparing for success is preparing for someone else’s success.   Which is the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. †